Resources

There are many tools to help you in your learning and advocacy.

Great testimony with the House or Senate Education Committees:
- Wed. 5/14/25 parent and educator Liza Earle-Centers on behalf of the VT Coalition for Phone and Social Media-Free Schools.
- Fri. 4/18/25 Principal Meg McDonough with two students about the bell-to-bell policy they've had all school year at Harwood Union Middle & High School
- Wed. 4/23/25: Dr. Harris Strokoff child and adolescent psychiatrist based out of So. Burlington and St. Albans, VT and also a parent.

Vermont's School Social Workers support this! Letter of endorsement by Lynn Stanley, the Exectutive Director of National Association of Social Workers-VT Chapter.

Briefing Document for H.54 / S.21. includes links to the text of the bill, a list of co-sponsors and the current status.

Webinar: Phone-Free School on a Budget from March 21, 2025. Hear from principals at both small and large schools who are having huge success with this policy and hear the details of how they work with no to low-cost procedures! 250 RSVPs from over 35 states and 4 countries! Moderated by Rep. Arsenault!
- 15 min. version
- 40 min. version

Great data out of VT schools that went phone-free this year! At Harwood Union MS and HS, they saw consistent increases in score averages in every measure they looked at (here). And rates of Hazing, Harassment, and Bullying were down dramatically. Investigating HHB claims is a significant cost in terms of administrator time every year, not to mention the mental health costs for each student involved. From the Asst. Principal:
- Last year (full year): 9 substantiated HHB claims, 11 investigated but unsubstantiated as HHB
- This year (as of mid-April): 1 substantiated HHB claim, 1 investigated but unsubstantiated as HHB

Video: Feb. 10, 2025 Panel Presentation on Phone and Social Media Free Schools (starts at 6 mins.) at Kellogg Hubbard Library in Montpelier. Panel includes a teacher from Harwood Union (fully phone-free), a school counselor, a family physician, and a trauma practitioner. Many thanks to ORCA Media for recording the livestream so these panelists can reach a larger audience.

Video: Jan. 29, 2025 Rep. Arsenault (Williston) introducing H.54 to the House Committee on Education. It's very helpful for learning more about the bill, the context, and the questions the committee voiced.

Phone Free Schools Administrator Tool Kit ~ Whether you are a principal, school board member, teacher or parent, this will help guide you throughout the entire process of of educating, advocating, and ultimately transitioning to a phone-free school.

Kids Brains and Screens ~ Kids’ Brains & Screens is a groundbreaking, evidence-based educational journey crafted to equip kids, teens, and parents with the scientific truths about screens. It will serve as a catalyst for transformative discussions in a home (or classroom) setting that will revolutionize your family’s relationship with screens, fostering healthier connections along the way. This is a key way to get students to understand the WHY behind your home or school phone and social media-free policy. A middle school in Central VT is currently piloting a small group study of this with consideration for the guidance curriculum next year.

ReConnect Vermont ~ ReConnect is a group of families in Jericho and Underhill, Vermont who are looking to build community and share resources about the issue of healthier phone and social media habits for our kids. We aim to give our children the kind of childhood we experienced – one where kids play together, resolve challenges face to face, and live life in person!